I care about an Idiot
by merler27
Summary: when Cedric Jumps Evan in the hall it's up to an old man and a certain prat to put him on his feet again.


**I care about an Idiot**

Evan arrived early to school Monday morning intending to review last night's Math homework with Mrs. Sampson. He was having trouble with the last two problems and was sure that he had miscalculated number three. He let out a sigh. He hated math. Before making his way to the class room, He stopped at a nearby trash can intending to throw away the peel of his banana. Which he had hurriedly grabbed only after his mother's insistence that he should eat something for breakfast. He was just about to step away, when he let out a gasp as he felt a large sweaty hand clamp tightly around his mouth.

"Screaming won't do you any good, "a vicious voice hissed in his ear. He knew this was true, though, he wasn't sure he could even if he had wanted to. He could feel the cold seeping through his thin pants, as he was dragged unceremoniously through the empty tomb like hallways normally crowded and filled with caucus shouts of laughter. He couldn't say that he wasn't expecting something like this to happen. He was actually wondering why it hadn't happened sooner.

After the boys last skirmish, Cedric hadn't been suspended because his mother worked part-time as the school janitor. The principle had a soft spot for her so instead of being suspended for the fifth time that school year, Cedric was instead helping his mother, scrub toilets, scrape gum from the underside of each and every desk on the first and second floor of the school, wash chalkboards, vacuum each class room and take out the garbage. Cedric would have rather been suspended. Then he would at least get the TV to himself for a while.

Cedric had wanted to get revenge sooner, but like a proper villain he knew that first he had to study his target. He and Angus had once been allies in the war against nerds. But somehow the new twerp Evan had weakened him, had made him forget that Cedric could just as easily come after him. He knew that he and Angus were matched equally in hand to hand and he didn't think his pride could take another beating. He didn't want it to be that public. He didn't want to make the boy into a hero with those who felt he had changed for the better to rally with him. No he needed to be discreet.

He had been watching Evan and Angus for weeks. The two had grown close. He never saw one without the other. They were like two sides of the same coin. Cedric thought distastefully. He knew he just needed to find an in.

"No chance of your little friend here to save you this time." Cedric muttered jovially. Handing Evan off to one of his goons while he reached into his jean's pocket retrieving a small silver key. Evan chanced a glance upwards to see who his new captor was, the hands were much smaller and cold. It was one of the girls, Morgan. She had him tight in a head lock. Her other hand pinning his arms together, her fingernails sinking into his flesh.

"Try anything to get away and you'll regret it." she breathed angrily into his neck. He thought it was smart that Cedric had chosen Morgan to keep track of him. He didn't want to hurt her; she was Angus's younger sister. He wondered if Angus knew that his sister was part of a group of demonic older boys who had nearly the entire 1st and 2nd grade population trembling with the fear of being pulverized.

He didn't have much longer to ponder this notion as he heard the click of a latch and the creak of an old door. He was grabbed roughly and thrown back ward landing painfully in a sitting position. Before receiving his bearings in time to guard himself he felt a sharp pain in the bridge of his nose, accompanied by a steady stream of blood.

We never got to finish our business. Cedric was no longer whispering, and his voice was full of pleasure. He knew that Evan was beat. There was nothing that he could do. Which is perhaps the only thing that saved Evan from being beaten to death. It was to easy He kicked him hard in the lower abdomen, cruelly delighting in Evan's short gasps and moans of pain. After kicking the small boy in the crotch he felt that there was no longer any more sport. So he stepped out of the closet and locked the door behind him.

He smiled as his army gathered around him. Then as the school hallways began to come alive, he put his fingers to his lips disappearing into the crowd. His gang dispersing like smoke behind him.

Angus didn't know what to make of the empty desk beside him. To his knowledge Evan was one of those students who always came to school even if he had every reason to remain at home. He would never forget the day Evan had had food poisoning. He had clearly been miserable, dark circles underlying bloodshot eyes, trouble holding his pencil, and vomiting what seemed like every two minutes. He had somehow miraculously made it to school and stayed at school despite several suggestions made to go home.

This was why Angus was worried. He knew that Evan had told him while they were on the phone the night before that he was planning to get to school early so he could review their math homework. He decided to ask Mrs. Sampson.

"I'm sorry Angus, I haven't seen him today." She replied sympathetically, touched by how worried the boy seemed for his friend. she knew of the days that Angus had once been the tormentor. Evan's friendship had made him a much more caring, compassionate person.

"Maybe he got sick and his mom tied him to his bed to make sure he didn't come to school." He knew that Mrs. Sampson was trying to make him feel better so he smiled and took his seat again. As class begin Angus couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

The room was dark. Evan was leaning back against a wall he managed to heave himself towards. He soon realized that his stomach hurt to bad for him to attempt rolling over on his side. He tried to at least keep his head up in an attempt to keep the blood from his nose from pouring down his throat.

He didn't know how long he sat there before again hearing that fateful click of the latch, and the creaky opening of the old door. The slight light that trickled into the room proved to be more than Evan's eyes could handle at the moment. He attempted to hurriedly pinch them closed, but stopped after realizing how much that hurt at the moment. He was able to relax the corners of his eyes allowing him the comfort of closing them without worsening the sharp stabs of pain in his nose.

He flinched in surprise at the feeling of warm hands carefully reaching under and around his lower back and legs. He didn't feel like fighting. Whatever was happening couldn't be worse than what he had already endured. So he allowed himself to be lifted into the air bridal style. Trying his hardest not to gasp at the pain in his stomach, clenching at it tighter with each footfall.

Angus had been on his way to the bathroom when he noticed an old man walking by, Angus would not have paid much attention had he not recognized the bundle the man was carrying. It was Evan, and he looked awful. From his nose to his chin was coated in blood, his eyes were shut, and his face was contorted with pain he was obviously trying his best to hide. Angus let the hall pass slip through his limp fingers and hurried after the man. They made it to the nurse's room where the man laid Evan carefully on the cot, and began attending to his nose. Noticing Angus was beside him he had him hold Evan's head up so he could clean the wound properly and eventually managed to stop the bleeding. Angus winced each time he saw Evan flinch in pain. Even he could tell that his nose was broken.

The man then moved his hands tenderly across Even's abdomen causing him to actually cry out in pain. Angus had to cover his ears. He wouldn't admit it but he had never been fond of distress. The old man then reached for the phone on the wall calling an ambulance, which arrived ten minutes later. They wouldn't let Angus come with him. He couldn't go back to class or he would never be allowed to leave. Students were not allowed to view accidents and the classrooms would surely be on lock down.

He was able to catch a ride with Even's mother only five minutes after the ambulance had left. He then had to wait in the main Lobby for what felt like forever to a six-year-old, but was probably only twenty minutes before he was allowed in. He was so nervous he actually took Evan's mother's hand as they walked quietly down the sterile hallways. The old man was sitting by Evan's bed but immediately rushed to his mother after she walked in, wrapping his strong arms around her.

Angus couldn't take his eyes off Evan. He was sleeping now. He looked so small. Angus wanted to run to him, but instead he found himself tiptoeing as if trying not to wake a sleeping infant. He just stood there watching him. He looked peaceful. He was so focused on Evan that he didn't notice his mother beside him, until she reached over and laid her hand on top of her son's. Angus stepped back so she could get closer.

He sat down on a hard plastic chair next to the window. He took this time to really take a look at the old man. He had shoulder length white hair and was wearing a dark blue uniform. He turned to face Angus, who noticed that he had kind looking chocolate eyes and his name was stitched in fancy writing on his uniform, so Angus wasn't sure what it said. He came over and sat in the chair next to him.

"who might you be young lad?" he asked quietly. His voice soothing like a grandfather's.

I'm Angus," Angus replied in a small quiet voice. "Gus" the man laughed, as he answered Angus's answered question. They sat in silence for a few moments just listening to the clock tick away softly. "I wanted to say, began the old man turning to face him, thank you for your assistance back there, you must really care about him." he said placing his rough warm hand comfortingly across Angus's small knee.

"Yes, I do," Angus answered back surprising himself slightly as he looked back towards Evan.

The man smiled, "Don't worry your secrets safe with me." Angus smiled bashfully, "Thank you." the man began to rise.

Wait, how did you find him? he integrated the man as if he were a key witness in a court room.

"I was on my way back from the bathroom when I saw a second grader by the looks of him coming out from the Janitors' office across the hall. I watched as he closed the door and locked it behind him, after he left I decided to investigate and found your friend there.

"I bet it was that good for nothing Cedric." Angus replied darkly. "It's a good thing you were there, otherwise it could have taken them forever to find Evan." "Thank you so much sir," he exclaimed as he carelessly flung his arms around the old man's waist. "You probably saved my best friends life."

The old man smiled as he put his arms around the small boy.

"You're welcome son." he replied moving one hand to the boy's head smoothing down the golden tresses that had been previously refusing to lie flat.

Even though it only lasted for a few small seconds, Angus realized that he felt a lot better. He couldn't remember the last time he had truly been comforted by a hug, even by his own father.

Gus stood up rumpling Angus's head as he went. He walked back to stand beside Evan's mother. They must have known each other previously; Angus would have to ask Evan what the story was there later. That is if he ever woke up. Angus felt fidgety in the hard plastic chair. He wondered why they didn't make the seats more comfortable. He imagined that it wasn't uncommon for people to want to stay with their loved ones. Though he supposed that the people who occupied these chairs had more pressing matters on their minds, so it maybe it didn't bother them.

The waiting seemed to carry on for hours. It was Angus who was the first to notice Evan's hand twitch on top of the covers. He did his best not to leap eagerly from his seat, sure that it was just his eyes wanting to comfort him with cruel allusions. Then it happened again, and this time Angus let himself rush to Evan's side.

"Evan, Evan, can you hear me?" "Evan!" he knew his voice probably sounded loud hysterical, and drat his stupid eyes were leaking, but for the time being he didn't care. He was just so glad to see Evan with his eyes open again.

"Don't you ever make me wait that long again," he scolded trying to get control of his emotions. "My but is numb," he added trying to smile before Evan saw him cry.

"My apologies your majesty, Evan replied, "would you like one of these feather pillows?" "they're actually quite soft."

Though his voice was raspy and hard to hear, Angus thought he could still make out the hint of sarcasm tinging the words.

He grinned widely, as both Gus and Evan's Mother, Heidi he once remembered Evan telling him, let out small chuckles of delight behind him. As they watched the boys' humorous exchange.

"Well I suppose you might as well keep it." I'll just have to get some new pillows; these obviously are not up to par for a king. Angus said as he straightened his body into a kingly pose.

"Thank you kindly sire," Evan said, his stiff chapped lips forming into a small half smile.

Angus let out a deep breath of relief.

"You really did scare me. I'm really glad you're okay," he said gently nudging Even's arm.

Evan reached out to Angus who moved his hand so it was on top of his.

"So I managed to scare the fearless king."

You Idiot, Angus replied his tone showing nothing but fondness.

"Prat," Evan answered back just as fondly.

Angus, smiled.

"Hi Mother," Evan croaked, turning is face up slightly to meet her loving gaze.

"My beautiful boy," she answered back as she softly brushed her small warm hands, across his cheek.

"Gus, you're here to?" Evan asked as his eyes came at last to rest on the old man.

So Evan already knew Gus Angus thought to himself. Now he really wanted to know the story.

"He's the one that found you, Honey," his mother explained as her fingers moved to his silky black hair."

"What do you remember my boy?" Gus asked, kneeling next to Evan's bed so he no longer had to crane his neck to see him.

Evan thought back to the beginning of his day. "I was walking towards the garbage right across the hall from the boys' bathroom when Cedric came and jumped me from behind."

"I knew it!" Angus exclaimed loudly interrupting as he excitedly jumped to his feet.

Gus looked up at him. it wasn't unkind, but it still told him to be quiet more effectively than any words the old man could have uttered.

"I'm sorry, he said quietly, Evan now that your awake I should probably call my father, just so he knows where I'm at. I'll be back soon."

"Thank you for being here Angus," Evan replied right before the boy slipped out of the room closing the door gently behind him.

"Do you remember if there was anybody else with him? Gus asked turning back to Evan

"There were two other boys I don't know their names, but they were big, and then two girls, Marissa, and Angus's little sister Morgan."

"Did you say Morgan was there?" Gus reiterated as he scooted closer to Evan so he could hear him better.

"Yes," Evan, replied almost shamefully. He was glad Angus was not here. It was much easier to explain this to Gus without trying to skim around the truth, because he still didn't know if he should tell him about Morgan. "It was Morgan, who was holding me while Cedric unlocked the door."

"Interesting," Gus mused

"Do you think I should tell Angus." Evan almost whispered

"No," Gus replied instantly

Both Heidi and Evan looked at him surprised at the quick readiness of his answer

"But he's my best friend, and this information shouldn't be kept from him, he needs to know," Evan insisted trying to sit up.

"Would he believe you if you told him?" Gus implored gently.

Evan thought about it carefully, he knew that Angus could be very defensive of his little sister. he had witnessed her get away with pranks and bullying simply because to her brother, she could do no wrong, and he wouldn't allow anyone to say anything against her.

"No probably not," Evan replied sadly sinking back into the stiff hospital bed.

"Tell me Evan, wasn't Morgan there during your last skirmish with Cedric too?" He asked as he scratched his chin in thought.

"Yes, Angus told me that he had asked her what her she had been doing in the classroom when he came in to find me. she had a story prepared, she just told him that she was walking in the classroom to get her coat when she saw Cedric and his gang surround me. she was scared and couldn't stop Cedric. But she had to do something to save his life when he and Cedric came to blows." Evan recounted tiredly

Gus nodded, he knew he probably wasn't going to get much more from the boy at the moment. But he had given him enough to think about. "Thank you." he said as he carefully put his hand on top of the boy's warm forehead.

"How long am I staying here this time Mother," Evan asked tilting his chin up slightly so he could see her.

"Probably at least a week sweet heart, the doctors want to run some tests, to make sure there's no inner damage to your organs," his mother answered sympathetically.

Evan sighed, just as the door opened, revealing Angus.

"I have to go now, he told Evan, my father is in the parking lot, and I really shouldn't keep him waiting." He carefully hugged his friend. "I'll come back tomorrow." he promised before rushing out the door slowing down enough to once again made sure it hardly made a creak, as it closed behind him.

"Your very lucky to have him on your side," Gus remarked as he watched Angus leave.

Evan still remembered the days where Angus hadn't been on his side. He had once been a fierce enemy, but he had proved to be an even fiercer friend. He just needed a push in the right direction. He knew that Angus had lost some of those he had once considered friends. But, Evan believed with all his heart that one-day Angus might be able to show others that you could lead with his kindness and courage rather than fear.

"Yes, he replied yawning widely, I know I am.

He turned his head into a more comfortable position facing the door, very lucky indeed, he thought once again allowing himself to fall asleep, figuring that this would at least make his time in the Hospital seem shorter.


End file.
